Method and apparatus for forming pottery cup handles



Oct. 19, 1954 E. c. JANES 2,691,806

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING POTTERY cup HANDLES Filed June 16 1950Z 6 James Patented Oct. 19, 1954 so SI'AJEEJS. orFrc-a.

METHOD. AND. APPARATUS.-FOR. FORMING POTTERYICUP HANDLES EdgarCecillanes; Montreal, Quebec; Ganada,.as--

signer .tolMedalta: RotterieseLtdg. Medicinal-lat, Alberta; Canada; :a;comporatiom of: Alberta Application. J the 16, 1950, .Serial No;168,397"

11 Claims.

1 This invention relates to improvements" in method and" apparatus" forforming' pottery cup handles which are an" integral. partof the cups:

The principal object" of this invention is to" tachedhandle, knowninceramics as a block handle, is not verysanitary. This is because somehandles are not firmly' attached to the cups and a slight crack orimperfectionmight bea" source of bacteria breeding; Asa result' of this,the health authorities-hegan'- to insist on having the cups and handlesmadein one piece,

Withoutany sticking on, this type of handle being: This cup is eithermade in such'a" way thatitshan'dle' knowninceramics" as a sanitashandle.

is anintegral part of' the cup or it is stuck on andworked into 'thecupsso nicely that it appears it='is--asolid part of it. Both casesare verycomplicated and slow up speed of production.

These two operations-are the only knoWnopera-- tions 'todayfor themanufacture of! the sanitas cup and handle.

In order that the present invention will beappreciated" more fully,- abrief outlineof f the two standardimethods of making sanitas wareis-liereinbelow= described; The first deals --with the man ufactur'e. ofthe handle as anintegral' part' of the-cup:

This: procedure: is most" universal today; Themouldv required: in. thiscase would be a split mould. The clayissplacedinthe hollow of thehandleand the two. halves of lathe:- mould i are put together formingahandle.The-ends of the handlfiwStlCK-Olll} intothemould; When the cup'is formedthe ends of thexhandle automatically-ad-- here to..-thecup. Whenyouopenx-ithetwo 'halves youhavea cup with ahand'leiattached'tojt'.Thisprocedure only complicates:and'slowsiu produc tion.. Splitmouldscauselunnecessaryrseams which have .to be trimmed;- ofi:anda'spongedioffrtomake them unnoticeable .to theeye; Thisautomaticallycalls foralot of extrarunnecessary WorkazA-lso, the

splitmould iahard to handle; because it-is .made out'of plaster, andtheleasthit .ofrweariwillicauses the two halves not,to..fit properlytogetherz This necessitates making special casingsin which" thetwohalvesof'the mould are placed toihold-ithemtogether; This is thewvaya cup'withwasanitas handle isniade today and is three-tir'nes as slow asthemaling of cupswithout handless To overcome this rather clumsywayofmak ing-r cups: another method" was developed, as fol- 1o'ws::

The'cup is a-ctually made in one solid" mould", without at handle:

assto make itappean'as-if the handle-is actually airzinteg-ralipart oithe cup itself. Thismethod;

while it does=.:eli1ninate-=a certain amount of unne'cessaryrlabour; isstill sioW-and'entailsia lot of extra dies and moulds and also extralabour-.-

According: to the present: invention, the cup and handle: are made inone piece in one solid mouldi. But; in. order thatthearticle can b'e-removed: from .th'esiplaster mould, the handle is This-cup with.

moulded: as:-: a l sol-id: plastic mass.- itSrl solid; handler attachedis placed? in a special machine: an'dia by; means; of dies under"pressure,- thisr handle, while=in a: plasticstate; is' punched out" to;forum a1 properly" shaped handle. This processs eliminates; unnecessaryuseamsa It also eliminatesithezjobroft making handles separately andhavin;themistuclcronu. In other words, by" means of-- this invention; cupsare manufactured with" genuine: sanitasihandles almost asfast as othermanufactured; cups without handles.-

Proceeding :now to: a moiei detailed description; reference will .behadiitowthe accompanying drawings, in: WhiCh.-'

Figure 1-. is-.a.side: elevational .view of an apparatus embodying thisinvention.

EigurezZ isam endivieveof "the apparatus shown iniEig. 1;

3 iSi a r top: plan .1 view.

Fig: esaiaaside view-of='a-.cup showing'a solid handle: before thestamping' outoperation.

Fig. 5: is: aview showing "the finished product:

The: cups-53 and'i solidhandle "9 are first formed:

in a plasterrmould (not shown) The mouldthas a slot intheside to'permit' a portion of "theiclay to be forced out to form a solid handle.When'the formed; cup" of 'clay *is dried to a leatherhardness,

themup ismemoved from the mould; The cup 5, ShOV\f1'1.iIl1Fl'.'.4-l$placed on amachine-for shap ing the: solidi handle 1 as Well "astrimming; the extra clay 'on' theeoutside of the cup'andhandle,

thus p 'ovidin'ga finished handle salsimilar to=the standard:cupthandles; as; shown in. Fig. 52

The: machine isamounted'.on;.a frame: I0; At v 1 eliminates unnecessaryseams andiconsequently unnecessarylalc'mur.- Thehand-ieistsmadeseparately, eitherby casting it inspeciallplastermouldsior by pressing itin metal dies: The handle is:their stucls onto the cup and the point; ofi'contact is: worked in verysmoothly shaft l I mounted to rotate in bearings l2 secured to one sideof the frame has an operating lever 13 fixed thereon to rotate theshaft. A pair of lever arms 14 have one end fixed to rotate with shaft ll, each having its free ends pivotally connected to the lower end of alink [5, as indicated at I6. The upper end of link i5 is pivotallyconnected, as indicated at H, to the free end of one arm l8 of anL-shaped lever It. Each lever l9 has its arm is normally disposed in ahorizontal plane and its other arm 28 extending vertically from arm l8and pivotally connected, intermedi ate its length, to frame H], asindicated at 2!, so that the upper free ends 22 will be moved toward oraway from each other by rotation of each lever l9 about its pivotal axis2!.

A plug or churn 25 is mounted on a base 26 carried by the frame to. Whenthe cup with solid handle is removed from a mould it is placed over theplug with the handle i projecting to one side. A set screw 2! permitsvertical adjustment of the plug or its removal for substitution ofanother plug.

A pair of handle forming dies 38 are arranged on the inner ends ofhorizontal shafts 3! on either side of handle l. Shafts 31 are arrangedfor sliding movement in sleeves 32 carried by upright members 33 whichare fixed to the frame iii. The outer ends of shafts iii are alignedwith the free ends 22 of L-shaped levers l9 so that swinging movement oflevers 29 will close the two dies on opposite sides of the handle i topunch out the handle into the desired form. Set screws 3 on arms 29 oflevers I s regulate the stroke of shafts 3| so that the dies 30 will bespaced apart any desired distance and will meet to form the handleevenly.

In operation, the lever 13 is rotated counterclockwise causing leverarms M to pull down on the horizontal arms is of levers is through thelinks l5. Levers I9 are thus rotated about their pivotal axes 2! so thatthe arms of levers it are moved toward each other. The free ends 22 ofarms 26 move shafts 3i inward until the dies 30 cut through the solidhandle 1. The dies form the handle into the desired shape, as shown at 8in Fig. 5, and also cut away the excess portion of the handle from thecup. When the lever i3 is returned by rotation in clockwise direction,the dies 3i] are automatically drawn apart by action of any suitablespring mechanism 35. The spring shown therein is for illustrativepurposes but any means for automatically retracting the dies may beemployed. When the punching operation is completed the handle is spongedto remove any feathery edges of the clay left by the dies.

The machine may be used for different shapes of cups and for formingdifferent shaped handles? This may be accomplished by the substitutionof a suitable plug as well as suitable dies 3%. The plug may also beraised or lowered for centering the uncut handle l with respect to thedies. The dies are removably fitted on the inner ends of shafts 3! inany suitable manner which Will permit changing with facility.

I claim:

1. A method of forming a pottery cup and a handle therefor in one piecewhich comprises moulding plastic material in a single mould tosimultaneously form a cup and an integral handle blank projectinglaterally from the cup and subsequently subjecting the handle blank,while still in a plastic condition, to a die shaping operation betweendies designed to form a finger opening in the handle blank and tosimultaneously shear off and shape a peripheral portion of the handleblank to thereby provide a finished handle of predetermined size andperipheral contour.

2. Apparatus for shaping a handle blank moulded integral with a potterycup comprising a stand, opposing horizontally movable handle shapingdies slidably mounted on said stand in axial alignment with each other,a cup support mounted on the stand at one side of and at a predetermineddistance from the path of movement of said dies and adapted to support apottery cup in an inverted position thereon with the handle blank cf thecup disposed between said dies, said dies being adapted to be forcedagainst the interposed handle biank and being shaped to form a fingeropening in the handle blank and to simultaneously shear off a peripheralportion of the handle blank to thereby provide a finished handle ofpredetermined size and peripheral contour, and means for reciprocatingsaid dies into and out of handle shaping engagement with said handleblank.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, in which said means forreciprocating said dies includes a pair of levers pivotally mounted onsaid stand at opposite sides of said cup support, each of said levershaving an arm freely disposed at the outer end of an adjacent diecarrying shaft and movable about its pivotal axis into abuttingengagement with the outer end of said die carrying shaft for slidingmovement of the latter toward said handle blank and means connected toeach of said levers for simultaneous movement of said levers toward theouter ends of said die carrying shafts.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, including a set screw carried byeach of said levers, said set screw being adjustable relative to saidlever toward and away from the outer end of the adjacent die carryingshaft to regulate the stroke of said die carrying shaft.

5. Apparatus for shaping a handle blank moulded integral with a potterycup, comprising a stand, a pair of stationary horizontal sleevessupported on the stand in axial alignment with each other and with theinner ends of the sleeves spaced apart, a reciprocating die shaftslidably mounted in each sleeve, co-operating dies carried by the innerends of the said die shafts, springs arranged to act against said dieshafts to normally maintain the dies in spaced separated relation, meansfor moving said die shafts toward each other against the resistance ofsaid springs, a cup support mounted on said stand at one side of and ata predetermined distance from the path of movement of said dies tosupport a cup thereon with the handle blank of the cup disposed betweenand in the path of movement of said dies, said dies cooperating witheach other during inward movement thereof to form a finger opening inthe handle blank and to simultaneously shear off a peripheral portion ofthe handle blank to thereby provide a finished handle of predeterminedsize and peripheral contour.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, in which said means for moving thedie shafts inwardly comprises a rotary shaft mounted to rotate in fixedbearings carried by said stand, a pair of lever arms having one endfixed to rotate with said shaft, each lever arm having its opposite endpivotally connected to the lower end of a link, said link having itsupper end pivotally connected to the outer end of one arm of an L-shapedlever,

said L-shaped lever being mounted intermediate its length to rotateabout a horizontal axis and having its other arm disposed to freelyengage the outer end of one of said die shafts to move said die shaftagainst the resistance of said spring in response to rotation of saidrotary shaft in one direction and to be moved away from the outer end ofsaid die shaft in response to counter-rotation of said rotary shaft.

7. Apparatus for shaping a handle blank moulded integral with a potterycup comprising a stand, a pair of stationary horizontal sleevessupported on the stand in axial alignment with each other and with theinner ends of the sleeves spaced apart, a reciprocating die shaftslidably mounted in each sleeve, co-operating dies carried by the innerends of the said die shafts, spring abutments carried by the die shaftsin spaced relation to the outer ends of the sleeves, a spring encirclingeach shaft and confined between the outer end of the sleeve in which theshaft slides and the spring abutment carried by said shaft, means formoving said die shafts toward each other against the resistance of saidsprings, a cup support mounted on the stand at one side of and at apredetermined distance from the path of movement of said dies, said cupsupport being shaped to fit within and support an inverted cup thereonwith the handle blank of the cup disposed between and in th path ofmovement of said dies, said dies co-operating with each other duringinward movement thereof to form a finger opening in the handle blank andto simultaneously shear off a peripheral portion of the handle blank tothereby provide a finished handle of predetermined size and peripheralcontour.

8. A method of forming a pottery cup and handle in one piece whichcomprises moulding plastic material in a single mould to simultaneouslyform a cup and integral handle blank projecting laterally from the cupand subsequently while still in a plastic condition reshaping the handleblank by cutting away excess material from the peripheral portionthereof and by forming a finger opening therein by the use of a diethereby to provide a finished handle of predetermined size andperipheral contour integral with the cup.

9. A method of forming a pottery cup and handle in one piece whichcomprises moulding plastic material in a single mould to simultaneouslyform a cup and integral handle blank projecting laterally from the cupwith the mouth of the cup and the top of the handle blank at the openend of the mould and subsequently while still in a plastic conditionreshaping the handle blank by cutting away excess material from theperipheral portion thereof and by forming a finger opening therein bythe use of a die thereby to provide a finished handle of predeterminedsize and peripheral contour integral with the cup.

10. Apparatus for manufacturing appendaged pottery-ware comprising aholder for receiving an unfired pottery article while in plasticcondition with attached appendage blank, a pair of co-operable, holeforming and appendage contouring implements, supports for saidimplements mounted adjacent the holder and arranged for movementrelative to the holder and the blank, and means for moving the implementsupports, one relative to the other to bring the implements intoengagement with the blank to squeeze the handle blank between them,detach the material occupying the hole portion of the blank and removeexcess material from and contour the external surface of the appendage,

11. Apparatus for manufacturing appendaged pottery-ware comprising aholder for receiving an unfired pottery article while in plasticcondition with integral, projecting appendage blank, a pair ofco-operable members each having a hole cutting surface and an appendagecontouring surface surrounding it, a support for each member locatedadjacent the holder and arranged for movement relative to the holder andthe blank, and mechanism for moving the supports, one relative to theother, to bring the implements together with the blank between them tocut a finger hole in the blank and remove excess material from andcontour the external surface of the blank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 265,540 Robinson et al. Oct. 3, 1882 1,578,198 Lannert Mar.23, 1926 1,828,462 Fry et al Oct. 20, 1931 2,075,038 Hutchinson Mar. 30,1937 2,349,292 Miller et a1 May 23, 1944

